*Snow People*
by Aquila avolare
Summary: As Winter Formal approaches, not all is well at the Institute. Jean and Scott are fighting (Guess WHO asked her to the dance)Kitty is going to the dance, dateless or not. And Rogue is going WHERE???
1. Icy Roads

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*Snow People*

Kitty pantomimed banging her head on the table methodically. Kurt practiced origami with his napkin. Rogue made abstract art with her peas and mashed potatoes. Evan stared glumly out the window, counting snowflakes. Logan was slicing his meat into smaller and smaller pieces, wondering how much longer Scott and Jean would be at it. Although dinner was usually a feeding frenzy at the Institute, everyone had lost their appetite to the sound of never ending arguing.

"Why are you always criticizing Duncan! He's always nice to you! Besides, _you_ don't even know him!"

"Jean! I know him! For God's sake don't tell me I don't know him! He's a jerk!"

"Who's the jerk? If you want to talk about jerks-"

It had been going like this for all of the drive home from school, all afternoon and all of dinner, ever since Jean had mentioned she had a date to the Winter Formal in front of Scott.

Which turned out to be a not-so-great idea. Duh. 

Kitty rolled her eyes at Kurt as another round started.

"If you feel that way about him, maybe you should just switch schools! So you don't have to see him! Or how about states! Move out of this country, just shut up!" Jean roared. Kitty was amazed. So was Scott. All was silent. Scott stood up stiffly and silently, and left the room. The whole group listened for a minute, there was a thunk, the sound of Scott pumping up his loud 'Angry music', and an almighty SLAM of his door. Everyone turned and looked at Jean. She was pale.

She pressed her lips together tightly, stood, and left. _Well, at least they're done fighting…_Kitty thought optimistically. But they weren't.

*

Jean was usually good about staying out of other people's thoughts. She had to keep reminding herself that she could _not _sneak into Scott's head and see why he didn't like Duncan, why he acted like a snob, and a jerk, and a judgmental megalomaniac and a-

"JEAN!!!" Scott's voice trumpeted from his room, two away from hers. "CUT THAT OUT!!!" She immediately felt guilty- she had accidentally sent her feelings. But she was also glad that she had reminded Scott exactly what bugged her about him. Arrogant jerk, she thought, as there was a knock at her door. She yanked open the door, ready to yell, when she saw a cringing Kitty.

"Oh, Kitty." Kitty smiled weakly at her deflated tone.

"Like Hi!" _Whoops, too perky_ "Um... remember this morning when-"

"There wasn't so much noise?" Jean asked, smiling, letting the littler girl in. Kitty giggled.

"Well, yeah. But like, I meant when you said we could like, go shopping for Formal dresses together? You, me and Rogue?" Kitty put on her most innocent puppy-dog face. Jean smiled back, it was hard not to. "Well, like what better time to do it then on a Friday afternoon? We could go shopping just us girls, and- get out…?" She suggested timidly. A particularly loud and obnoxious song blasted from Scott's room. Kitty saw Jean narrow her eyes in annoyance, she absolutely _hated _this song of Scott's. _I've got her! _Kitty gave her a big hug. "Thank you Jean! I'll go grab Rogue!" Jean watched in amazement- and amusement, as the girl sped away. Funny how she knew exactly what Jean was about to say- perhaps she was the mind reader. Jean grabbed her jacket and the keys to the Mini, and strolled down the hall, looking right and left before sticking her tongue out childishly at Scott's closed door.

_Ha,_ she thought. _I'll show him, he can stay in that room for as long as he wants. He'll miss the dance, and then he wont have to see Duncan. Or me. Jerk…_

*

"Ooh, look guys!" Kitty gave a test spin in the dressing room isle, so Jean and Rogue could see knee-length white skirt ruffle and flare out. "I feel like a snow princess! Wow…" The dress had embroidered snowflakes on the top, and on the flaring skirt, you could just barely see them against the white fabric. Rogue grunted, turning back to her magazine. Jean and Kitty had yet to get her to try something on. 

"It looks very nice, Kitty. You should get it." Jean encouraged.

"Yay!" Kitty exclaimed, glad for Jean's stamp of approval. "Are you going to get the green one?" She asked, re-entering her stall. Jean looked at the pile of green silk on her lap. She always wore blue and purple, those colors were out of the question. But so many times she had worn green dresses exactly like this one to dances- she was sure she had more then 10 of them in her closet at the Institute.

"No," she decided "I'm going to look for something else." She exited just as Rogue started pestering Kitty again about the point of going to a dance when you didn't have a date.

Those two, she shook her head. They're like sisters. All of us are, really. And brothers, of course. She amended thinking of Kurt, Evan and … The Jerk.

But as time passed by, and Rogue was finally pestered into buying a long black (what other color?) dress with long sheer sleeves- Jean realized that she still had no idea what she was going to wear.

It was Kitty who finally found it- a pale gold silk dress, simple short sleeves and a scooping neck. 

"Wow." Kitty said appreciatively, when Jean tried it on. "Very nice. Veeeeeeery nice." Rogue even smiled. "Like, It'll be a hit with guys, too! I can't wait to like, see the look on Scott- I mean Duncan's face when he sees you." She quickly recovered, blushing slightly, before looking down at her shoes.

Jean looked at herself one last time in the mirror. _Scott indeed_…

* 

Ooh Ooh ooh! What do ya guys think? Okay? Acceptable? Do tell! And I'm not talking about shippage! *^_^* I am aware that everyone has their own viewpoint. Please Review! This is going to be a short and fluffy fick- since I'm no good at real plot lines *(^_^)* Do those things (points up) look anything like snowflakes? I hope so!

-A,a

PS: They aren't mine. None of them and nothing. Of they were, I would by the richest/smartest 14 year old on the planet. Not that I'm not already smart…


	2. Hanging the Snow

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*Snow People*

How Rogue had gotten herself sucked into decorating the cafeteria for the dance, she didn't know. One minute, a girl was shoving a pink sheet of paper- and boom! She was cutting out snowflakes with five other girls from the endless piles of paper…

"Wow! Those are nice!" came a voice from behind her. She looked up and saw the same paper-shoving girl, smiling over her shoulder.

"Yeah." Rogue wasn't feeling especially talkative- hanging out with all these kids that she didn't know was putting her on the edge. The girl smiled, and thankfully got the drift.

"Well, I'll just scoot, there is so much to do and- My god Lance! What the heck are you doing?" Rogue looked back down at her cutting. Another thing she wanted to avoid- the stray Brother that had also apparently gotten roped into decorating.

"Jeez, Lita! Give me a break! You wanted help, here it is!" Rogue hoped against hope that Lance would ignore her, which was preferable to the usual 'quitting the brotherhood' crap she usually got from him and the rest. 

"You are hanging the snowflakes crooked!" Lita insisted, shoving her clipboard at him and climbing his vacated ladder. 

"Am not! Ro- _Marie_ is cutting them crooked!" Rogue almost missed her name, she was so used to being called Rogue by her friends. 

"_Marie_," Lita said testily "Is doing beautifully. Shut up and hand me the tape." Lance sighed and rolled his eyes as if to say 'Yes, you Highness.' Rogue almost laughed.

* 

"Erg!" Kitty exclaimed for the fifth time- or sixth? she wasn't sure. Once again she'd failed to save the mannequin from the middle of the Danger Room. Logan and Professor X had made yet another up-grade to the system. _And just when I was getting the hang of the last one! _Although her powers helped, she couldn't concentrate to faze through blades, ropes, explosions, lasers, and what else? She'd forgotten. Logan motioned her back up to the observation deck, and Kurt took her place. Of course, with two pops, he was to the mannequin, and back. 

"Erg!" Kitty threw down her towel. "If you've got to be a mutant, why can't you have a good power! Crap!" She marched to the elevation and escaped the Observation Deck and Logan, Evan and Kurt's astonished looks. As she descended, she banged her head against the elevator wall. _They must think I'm such a baby!_ She was furious_. Why can't my powers be any good? _She blinked her eyes to stave off the tears that were coming. It had been a bad and long morning- and being cooped up with The Guys made it worst.

She heard the familiar Fip! of Kurt's arrival. "Go away Kurt." She muttered. "Tell Logan that no amount of pleading on your part is going to get me back up there. Four straight hours in the Danger Room is enough, thank you." The elevator pinged, and the doors opened.

"Okay, Keety." Kurt said, surprised "Actually, I thought I would take a break too." Kitty snickered ironically as they exited and started to walk down the hall.

"Yeah, from what, Elf-boy? Being perfect? At least your powers aren't junk." Kitty ripped out her sloppy ponytail and started to re-make it.

"Keety, your powers are good too!" Kitty sniffed dejectedly. She didn't comment, she was to busy chanting to herself: _Don't cry, don't cry, not in front of Kurt, don't cry, don't cry…_

They walked in silence, until Kitty reached her room-the Professor finally let her have her own (though she wouldn't admit it, she missed Rogue's companionship) when Kurt made a final attempt.

"You know Keety, if you ever need to talk, I'm usually not busy." Kurt gave her a warm smile. Kitty managed a pitiful "Thanks, Kurt." before dodging into her room. She could relate to Scott's recent habits as she cranked the volume on her CD player, gazing off into the falling snow.

*

"You know, Dan," Lance suggested to a fellow slave to Lita. "If you want to sneak out, I'll cause a distraction. Just as long as you come back to rescue _me_." Dan chuckled, and Lance noticed he glanced over to were Rogue (or Marie, to the rest of the school) sat, and shook his head.

"Naw, Lita's my half-sister. She'd know where to look, and then she'd drag me back here." Lance, clapped him on the shoulder and groaned knowingly. He'd once had a sister too…

"If y'all don't hurry up with that hanging, me an the girls are gonna drown in snowflakes." Rogue yell across the cafeteria. Lance made a rude gesture, and she returned it, grinning.

Just then, Duncan and the rest of the football team (who Kitty and Rogue secretly called his entourage) arrived. The reason they had come was unknown, perhaps they were also roped into helping by the demanding Lita. Whatever the reason, they forgot as soon as they saw their long-time enemy: Lance.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't Wet-pants Lance." A burly footballer growled. Duncan and the rest chuckled meanly. Lance, Rogue noticed, went a little pale at the prospect of standing up to the whole Football team- alone. Rogue felt a little sorry from him, and started to edge her boxes upon boxes of snowflakes away from the scene, there was no way she was letting her three hours of work get ripped up in a school-boy brawl.

"Is that all you could come up with? Jeez man! How did you make it out of the seventh grade?" Rogue had to suppress a snicker. She didn't want to get into this.

"You want to say that again, punk?" the burly footballer advanced menacingly. Duncan and the rest grinned and chuckled their support. Lance looked around nervously. He caught Rogue's eye. Was he asking for help? Rogue was at a momentary loss.

Stealthily, she crept out of the cafeteria. Positioning herself near the door of the girl's bathroom. She could still hear Duncan and the others from across the hall. She only hesitated a moment more, before opening her mouth and screaming.

As the sound of thundering shoes came towards the door she ducked into the girls bathroom. From there, she could hear the confused and befuddled voices of the football team. And once they had given up, their angered rumblings as they found Lance gone.

Five minutes later, she sneaked back into the cafeteria, to see Lita pulling Lance in the side door by his arm.

"Thought you could skip out, huh? Nice try. You're the only one tall enough to hang the snowflakes!" Lita was obviously oblivious to the recent events.

"Oh yeah," said Lance, looking at Rogue and trying not to laugh at Lita. "You sure caught me." Lita made disgusted noises and went to inspect the balloon hangings. 

Rogue meandered over to Lance. "Seems ta me, it was a miracle they even passed sixth grade." Lance snorted. They both stood in an awkward silence.

"Hey, a, Marie, thanks for all that, you know." Rogue nodded knowingly.

"Us weirdo's got to look out for each other." He nodded also, looking at her.

"No kidding

*

Oh La la! That was really unexpected, huh? (wiggles eyebrows) Well, you can accuse me of many things and pairing just about everyone off is one of them. Actually, only three… so far. And gee I wonder who they are! Sorry and Jean and Scott fans, no action today!

Review, and tell me how I'm doing! If you don't like it, tell me why. And if you disagree with my Shippage, why are you even reading this??? *^_^*


	3. Snow Drifts- or "If you say that again I...

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*Snow People*

Then evening of the dance was one of great tensions at the Institute. Jean had left earlier. Duncan was taking her to dinner with the rest of the team and their dates. She had swept down the stairs like a queen, and hadn't even given Scott a glance. Or even a glare, which is what she had been doing as of late.

He however, had his eyes glued to her, that is, until he managed to wrench them away, and back to his magazine.

_Poor Scott_, Kitty thought. She and Kurt exchanged knowing glances. Rogue and herself didn't have rides to the dance (or dates) so he had volunteered to transport them there. He even said he might stay a while. Which would be good, because if Kitty wasn't having a good time, she could always go back with him.

Once again Kitty groused about the fact the certain guy she liked hadn't asked her. But he probably thought she was a baby, especially after the way she had been acting lately. 

Reaching out for her water glass, she fazed right through it as Scott caught her by surprise.

"You know, I think I'll go to the dance too." Evan choked on he spaghetti in surprise.

"You're what, man?!" Evan stared wide-eyed. Kitty could relate. Not an hour ago Scott had been commenting loudly that high school dances were _so_ immature. He marched upstairs with purpose, as the rest stared on.

Evan stood up disgusted. "Great! I'm the only one not going to this stupid dance! Man!" and her marched out too. 

Kitty inched her chair closer to Kurt's "Like, what do you think brought _that_ on?" she asked quietly.

"He probably can't stand the thought of Duncan having Jean all to heemself. He just wants to watch, you know, ruin the evening for her." 

"Why!?" Kitty asked.

Kurt sighed, like he was explaining something to a two year old. "So she'll get mad and yell at him, of course. Which is the only time she pays attention to him."

"She pays attention to him." Kitty defended.

"Well sure. "Pass the potatoes" and "Watch Out!" that's real nice. He really likes her."

"And she really likes him."

"What about Duncan?"

"I don't know. I think- I think she, like, wants to make him jealous. And she doesn't like it when he bosses her around. You know…" Kitty tried to explain, but as usual, ended up sounding like an idiot.

"Probably. Someone should get them really drunk and lock them in a closet together." Kurt stated frustratedly. 

"Kurt!" Kitty screeched, laughing loudly and drawing attention. "_Gross!_"

Kitty got up, still chuckling. "Well, I better go get ready. See ya!"

Kurt checked his watch. "Keety! You have more than an hour!"

"Yeah, well. It'll take me that long to become beautiful." she sighed dejectedly.

"It never has beefore." Kurt stated simply, before turning slightly pink. Kitty mirrored his flush before dashing upstairs. She restrained herself until she reached her room, before letting out a shout of joy.

*

"Oh yeah, Duncan, that was a great pass." Jean agreed. It was about the Fifty-ninth time the team had discussed Duncan's pass in the game verses Plymouth. That night. This is ridiculous! She thought, wishing she had stayed home and gone to the dance with her friends. She really liked, Duncan, but sometimes he could be so- so- boring? single-minded? And all of the other football player's dates weren't any help. Jean was pretty sure she was the only one there with an IQ above 3. 

She hated to admit it, but in most cases, Scott was right. Duncan wasn't a jerk, or mean. But he was- well, everything else.

She could conjure up the image of a smirking Scott if she ever told him this. She narrowed her eyes instinctively. _I will have fun tonight if it kills me_, she vowed. _I wont let Scott- or anyone else- ruin it._ She smiled at Duncan as he looked at her questioningly.

"What was that?" she asked.

"I asked you what you thought of my pass."

*

"Ya gonna tell me why you're in my room do'in a dance?" Rogue asked, after she had regained her wits after the initial shock of Kitty's arrival had worn off.

"Nope!" Kitty said happily, plunking her make-up on Rogue's vanity table. Rogue instantly regretted agreeing to help Kitty with her make-up and hair. She had been having second thoughts about going to the dance, but now that the insistent Kitty had shown up… She would be going.

Rogue talked Kitty out of putting her hair up, which is what every girl at the school would be doing, and convinced her to keep it down.

"Do what evah you like, jus keep it down." She urged, leaning over the table to she her reflection.

She looked- nice. Pretty. It was weird. She just hoped no guys suddenly got the idea that her being at a dance meant she was on the market.

Rogue was putting the finishing touches on her make-up when there came a knock on the door.

"Rogue? Keety? Scott say's he'll drive us, but you have to hurry up!" The door knob turned.

"Don't come in!" yelled Kitty franticly. "Don't you dare!" she heard Kurt's disgusted exclamation of "Girls!" and laughed.

Rogue was ready to leave when Kitty gave a shout. "Hey Rogue! You forgot your spray!" Kitty was referring to a liquid that when sprayed, sealed off her skin. It didn't smell funny, and it didn't look weird. But she still didn't like it. Luckily, it lasted for about three hours, so it wore of eventually.

Before Rogue could argue, Kitty was spraying her with it. "Blech!" Rogue gagged as Kitty sprayed it in her face, some had gotten in her mouth. 

Kitty giggled. "Common, lets go! Before Scott ditches us!" Rogue had regained her composure buy the time they had reached the front hall. Evan, still grumpy, sat on the couch and catcalled.

Kitty was surprised to see both Scott and Kurt in tuxes. Kurt was pulling on his, with a look of disgust on his face. She smiled brilliantly as she flew past him out the door and to the car. She liked the way his mouth was ajar, and his eyes and wide s they could go. She felt almost like Jean, powerful. Of course, she almost ruined it all by giggling.

Oh well, what are you going to do? She thought, as they trooped, shivering out to the car. It was not exactly weather for dresses and high heals, she almost got buried in a shifting snowdrift.

Finally in the car, with the heater on, and Scott going 60 miles an hour so as not to miss a single glimpse of Jean, they were off.

*

Okay guys, you have my apologies, but I can't do accents!! Which explains why the way Rogue and especially Kurt talk is all weird. Review please! And pleeeeeeeeease heed my comments as of earlier: DON'T TELL ME YOUR SHIPPAGE. Pleeeeeee-heeeeeeeeese?

'Cause if you do, I feel guilty and obligated to change mine-own. I respect yours, please respect mine!

Gracias!

-A,a


	4. Snowball

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*Snow People*

Kitty was certain she had been transported into a Winter Wonderland when she stepped into Bayville High's Cafeteria. Hundreds of snowflakes hung from the ceiling (and real ones flying outside) and a jazzed up version of 'The First Noel' boomed.The gently spinning disco ball bounced small lights off of the snowflakes, dancing around the room eerily.

Now they all knew why Rogue had been so tired when she had come home from the decorating session. And so proud.

"Wow Rogue, it's wonderful." Rogue smiled at Kitty's awestruck comment, that or the way Kitty was compulsively grabbing Kurt's sleeve. Rogue wasn't the only one who had noticed the two of them becoming closer.

Scott had enough time to nod and smile before Teren spotted him and dragged him off to dance, her own date forgotten. Rogue felt sorry for the poor guy, but not too sorry. It was his own fault for having bad taste in girls. After all, how great of a person could Teren be if she jumped Scott at the first sign that Jean, her best friend, wasn't around? And if she didn't know about Jean and Scott- jeez, she was pretty dumb, too. Maybe Duncan and Teren…

And speaking of Jean- "Marie! This is wonderful! Kitty told me that you helped decorate, this is fantastic!" Rogue didn't need to be a telepath to tell that Jean's enthusiastic smile and tone were fake, and that she did, in fact, mind that Teren and Scott were slow dancing near by. Rogue smiled politely and tiptoed away when Duncan came up to them, punch glasses in hand.

"Well, I requested something besides over-used Christmas carols, but we'll see how that pans out." Rogue smiled at Lance as she loaded up her plate. He was lounging against the table, sipping his punch. He looked as he were trying very hard to look suave. He just looked silly.

"Isn't that outfit a little risqué?" he inquired, when she didn't respond. She adopted his pose next to him.

"All complements go to Professor Xavier, resident genius at the institute." she replied, attempting to eat a cracker without tipping over.

"Ah, so he's doing full plastic surgery now?" Rogue choked on her cracker with surprise. Was he insulting- or, _complimenting_?

Lance laughed at her expression, and took her plate away from her. "Common, Marie, lets test that new invention of Professors." and she was promptly dragged onto the dance floor by the most unexpected (or expected?) person of all.

*

If Jean didn't know Scott as well as she did, she would think that he had rigged the giant plastic Santa to fall on top of Duncan. But he looked openly pleased. If he had done it, he would be trying to put on a surprised face.

Of course, Durable Duncan was fine. But all the same, the chaperones had carted him off to the nurse's office, just in case.

So she was alone until he came back.

Fun.

Jean tried to mingle, but that just didn't work. People kept on asking about Duncan. Did you see his pass? Is he okay? Do you think having a 12 foot Santa land on him will affect his game? _Who am I in this relationship?_ She wondered. _The Chick, I suppose. How could a real life Super Girl compete with the star football player? _Which in effect made her think of Scott, which was not supposed to happen that night. It didn't help that he looked absolutely great in his tux…

*

Kurt and Kitty had successfully avoided any possibly uncomfortable situations by being struck by sporadic food cravings whenever a slow song came on. But both respective stomachs were more than full, and as Kitty eyed the cookie in her hand, debating the possibility of Kurt still liking her after she ate it a puked all over him, yet another one started up.

Kitty smiled at Kurt's almost imperceptible groan as he reached for another cup of punch.

"Hey Kurt, do you want to dance?" _Hey now! Did that come from me? _Kitty was possibly more shocked than Kurt. _Yikes! _ But Kurt relieved- and happy to oblige. Burning red, Kitty let Kurt lead her out onto the floor. He put his arms around her waist, and she carefully put her hands on his shoulders. _This is Kurt, clumsy, silly and goofy Kurt. You've known him forever! Get a grip! _Kitty avoided looking at Kurt, which was hard, because he was only a little taller than her. 

After a while, Kitty felt her blush beginning to fade. _This isn't so bad. In fact,_ _this is really nice!_ She realized, smiling. She peeked up to see if Kurt was having as much fun as she was. By the almost maniacal grin on his face- you could tell he was.

"Keety?"

"Yeah, Kurt?" She looked up, smiling. Kurt opened his mouth when the song tracks switched.

"I'm, too sexy for my love,

too sexy for my love.

Love's going to leave me"

"I'm too sexy for my shirt,

Too sexy for my shirt.

So sexy it hurts!"

Kitty and Kurt laughed wildly at the song that was sending the chaperones running, clutching each other so they wouldn't fall down when Mr. P tripped and landed face first into the Styrofoam snowman.

*

Marie laughed at Lance's dance moves. "You requested this song, didn't you!" she shouted over the music. He shrugged, then grabbed her hand and began to dance. Marie laughed, "You egomaniac!" she couldn't remember having so much fun. "You're crazy!" she yelled, spinning under his arm.

"I'm not the only one!" he grinned at her. _Whoa! _Marie thought. _Am I flirting with Lance?! Oh well. _She smiled again. Lance was singing along with the song now. _He's insane! _Marie tipped her head back and laughed.

"Shut up you freak!" she hit him on the arm.

"Never!" he responded.

_When have I ever had so much fun?_

Never.

*

Just outside the cafeteria, Jean meandered through Fourth Period Art Class's snow sculptures. It was cold out, but it was better than being inside, where everyone was having fun except, and without, her. 

She scuffed her toe angrily_. I will not feel sorry for myself!_ She ordered silently, tipping her head up to the sky, blinking away would-be tears. The starry night, now void of snow flakes, blinked and twinkled back

"Hey Jean, everything alright?" 

"Oh don't you even go there, Scott Summers." She noticed that his arm that her 'friend' Teren had been previously clinging to was empty. _I wonder who lent him the crow bar. Maybe they could lease it out to me, also. _

"Whoa hey, chill Jean." He held up his hands in defense, but came closer.

"That's not the problem out here." she muttered, folding her arms.

"You're cold?" he asked, coming closer, so that he could have touched her. Or she him. She was, and she wasn't. She was shivering, but uncomfortably hot so close to him. Her cheeks especially. _You'd think I was Kitty!_ She thought desperately.

"Jean, about Duncan-" he began, stepping even closer.

"I am _not_ talking to you about him!" Jean narrowed her eyes. She could stare directly into his adorable sunglasses. 

_Adorable?_

"Jean…"

But Jean was on a roll. The dance sucked, dinner had sucked, her date (who sucked) had to leave because he was squashed by a stupid Giant Santa (who also sucked), her best friend was a leech, a back-stabbing one at that, and all of her friends were having a blast. Someone was to blame, and Scott was the ideal person.

"Why are you always so ungenerous and small-minded about him? He's a person to! He's got feelings! I have feelings! But you just keep on talking like I'm not ever there! It feels awful, Scott! I hate it! You do it all the time and I hate it! You ignore me just like I'm one of the trainees asking why you wear those ador-stupid sunglasses! I hate it!" Scott had pulled back, at first he looked frustrated, then simply mad.

"If I'm simple-minded, then you're selfish and clueless! It's always all about you, Jean. 'I don't get to lead the X-men', 'Rogue gets off because she's moody', 'I'm perfect, why aren't you?' Whine, whine, whine! Crap, Jean! Just shut up!" Blood pounded, It couldn't be true. She was for loss of words. But that was okay because there were always snowballs.

"Ahh! Jean! Don't! This tux cost a fortune! If you get it wet-" Scott dodged another snowball, grabbing some snow himself and hurling it at her.

Using her powers, Jean could easily deflect Scots attempts. No one looking out the window at that moment would notice the snowballs veering an inch and missing her completely as unnatural. Scott of course couldn't use his powers, but snow art makes a good shield.

"Jerk!" she yelled, hurling a snowball. Scott ducked, and the snowball exploded against a Snow Princess, whose head fell to the ground.

"Watch it, Jean!" he yelled, throwing another snowball and ducking behind a giant duck. The sky above twinkled again, almost like the eyes of a Grandfather who knew something the squabbling children did not.

*

Jean panted for breath. It had started snowing again, but all of her dodging and running had kept her warm. She peeked around the gorilla before sprinting as fast as she could in her dress, for the panda bear. She hadn't heard nor seen Scott for a couple of minutes, and the snowball in her frozen hand was starting to fall apart. Jean had just come upon the revelation that she could listen for his thoughts when something big and nice smelling grabbed her and wrestled the snowball out of her hands.

"Hey!" she laughed, as she squirmed in Scott's grip. "Let go!"

He looked at her seriously. "No." She stopped squirming and turned to look at him. She could feel his eyes boring into her. "Jean, I came out here to say that it's true. I don't like Duncan." she frowned, the conversation was starting out strangely familiar, and badly, for all he was holding her in his arms.

"I came here to say that I'm sorry I was being a jerk. About Duncan, and other stuff, I guess, too." She didn't know what to say.

"Apology accepted?"

"Oh Scott, I-I was being stupid too. About Duncan, and all that other stuff. I've been under a lot of stress, and you have too." He smiled softly. "And to tell you the truth, You were right about Duncan mostly. Gosh is that guy boring!" She laughed with him as the last of the tension disappeared.

"Tell you what, if you forgive me, I'll forgive you." He sad, stepping back, and offering his hand for her to shake.

"On the count of three, we shake and forgive, alright?" Jean smiled.

"Sure."

"One….Two….Th-" Jean grabbed his hand and flung her arm around his neck and kissed him before she could change her mind.

"Three…"

*

Marie laughed with Lance sitting in a corner as the dance wound down. Most everyone had left, Though Teren and Duncan were sulking in a corner together, watching Jean and Scott flirt blatantly, and Kurt and Kitty were being absolutely cute to a point of grossness over by the speakers.

A perfect ending to a perfect night. Marie sighed happily as she leaned against the cardboard Christmas tree next to Lance.

"You sound pretty happy." Lance commented, poking her hand, which lay on the floor between them. She couldn't decide if he was still amazed by his ability to touch her and escape unscathed, or if he actually liked it.

"I guess I am. This dance was a lot more fun than I thought it would be." she admitted, flicking his finger away as it darted in for another poke.

"Thank your truly for that."

"Never met him." Lance laughed and poked her arm.

"Oh stop it!" she exclaimed, waving off his fingers. "You're like a little kid is taking apart the toaster to see how it works!"

"You are far cleaner than any toaster I've ever met. More interesting, too." he replied, poking her shoulder curiously.

"What!?" Marie laughed.

"Well, you see, a toaster only has one button to poke. You have many." he jabbed her knee, and her shoulder.

"See, here's a funny one," he said, making her laugh by poking her stomach "There's always this one," and he poked her elbow, "And this one," he said, pressing on her nose. "But, my favorite one of all is this one." and he laid his fingers on her lips. His eyes, close now, asked her permission, before he leaned forward, and kissed her gently.

A perfect ending to a perfect night.

*

Well…? What do you think???? In reflection to Lady Yami Oooya Strife's comment: In the movie Rogue's real name is Marie- (Somehow I'm doubting her mother looked at the bundle of joy and said "Oi! Let's name her Rogue!") (Then again… maybe she did….!) _and_ I bow down to you, Person with much smartness, I had no idea that 'Kittie"'s name was spelled like that! But…(there is always a but!) I am waaaaaaay too lazy to go fix it. 

Oh, and I am going to pretend that whole "Lance + Kitty" episodes never happened. Marie and Lance for-EVAH!!! Oops, I'm breaking my own rule! Remember, if you don't like it, respect it all the same! If it offends, don't read!

Did you guys catch the pun in the title? Tell me in the review if you did!

*^_^* Hee hee.

I've forgotten this lately, so here it is, appearing once more: THE CREDITS -------

Characters: Not mine 

Setting: Not mine 

Plot: Probably not mine either, there are so many of these out there.

Santa Claus: MINE 

I'm Too Sexy Song: Said Right Fred's (If you haven't heard this song- listen to it!)


End file.
